Justice Theophilus W. Smith

  • Born:
    September 28, 1784 in New York, NY
  • Illinois Supreme Court Justice:
    1825-1842
  • Succeeded:
    Thomas Reynolds
  • Succeeded by:
    Richard M. Young
  • Represented:
    4th Circuit (1827-1834), 7th Circuit (1827-1834)
  • Political Party
    Democrat
  • Other Political Offices:

    Illinois State Senate (1822-1825)

  • Died:
    May 6, 1845 in Chicago, IL
  • Buried:
    Rosehill Cemetery, Chicago, IL (previously interred at City Cemetery)
  • Notes:
    Portrait courtesy of the Illinois Supreme Court

Images

  • sig-smith
  • smith-lg

Cases

Slocumb v. Kuykendall

The case involved a slander accusation implying theft against Slocumb. The plaintiff alleged three counts of slander, but the defendant pleaded not guilty. After the trial, the court instructed the jury to find in favor of the defendant, stating the evidence did not support the plaintiff's claims. The defendant's words, as recounted by witnesses, did not directly align with the charges. Thus, the court affirmed the judgment in favor of the defendant.